The Most Dangerous Target
by Archica
Summary: Joker is assigned by Kurei to kill someone who knows a little too much about the elemental weapons. The problem is, this is someone Joker knows. Will he be able to carry out his assignment?
1. Default Chapter

The Most Dangerous Target _The Most Dangerous Target_  


This is the first chapter of what will be a long-ish fic. Keep in mind that this is just my second FoR fic ever and my first time writing Joker. I hope it isn't TOO bad. 

Joker sat comfortably in the leather seat in front of Kurei's desk. His feet were propped up, his dirty sneakers only inches from Kurei's face. But Kurei had no intention of asking him to remove them, even though Joker would if asked. He instead folded his arms across his chest and looked at his assassin with a slight smile. "So, I can trust you to handle this?" 

"Of course. Just tell me what I need to know." Joker replied casually. 

"First of all, I didn't initially choose you to exterminate this target. My first choice was Neon, but she had ... other plans. Raiha is also busy. I know you don't favor young female targets." 

Joker cocked and eyebrow. "She isn't cute, is she?" he asked with a groan. 

"See for yourself." Kurei answered, handing him a folder. Joker opened it up and pulled out a photograph. His eyes widened and he looked back and forth between the photo and Kurei many times in disbelief. 

"You want me to kill her?!" he asked. Kurei nodded. "But why? She doesn't have any dealings with the company or you." 

"True, but she does know things about us, about the elemental weapons in general, that she just shouldn't know. Of course, her father will have to be eleminated as well. They both know too much and could be dangerous to our privacy." 

Joker leaned back in the chair and studied the picture. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you did this on purpose." 

"Why would I do that?" Kurei asked. 

"To test me. To see how loyal I am. But I thought we'd already gone down that road long ago." 

"Joker, I explained my reasons. Her address is in the folder. Just complete the assignment and everything will be fine." Kurei said sternly, standing up and walking out of the office. 

Joker mumbled something inaudible and continued to stare at the photo. This would probably be his hardest target. She was relatively weak, she wouldn't put up any sort of defense. She wasn't that rich or intelligent. Physically, there would be no problem at all. But the emotional aspect of it all was a completely different story. 

It wasn't that rare that Joker would be assigned to kill a cute young girl who was somehow involved with Kurei's group. He didn't like those jobs, but he did them anyway. After all, he didn't know the girls. They were just like lambs in the field, and he was the wolf. He would always move quickly with them, try to cause as little pain as possible unless Kurei had other specific instructions. Occasionally, he would be required to make a mess of them, and leave them to be found by their treacherous fathers or brothers. Those were particularly his least favorite assignments. But he could handle them. He could burry his conscience and move on. He could forget their screams, their faces. 

But now the face staring back at him was not just another girl, just another lamb. It was someone he knew, someone he had talked to, someone who had even shown him great kindness. How could he look at that face and destroy it? How could he kill someone that knew him? 

He read the instructions in the file and felt a small bit of relief. It could be quick and easy. No specific instructions said otherwise. At least he wouldn't have to hurt her very badly. He closed the folder and stood up, putting it under his arm and jamming his hands into his pockets. He sighed as he walked out of the room, carrying the folder with a name written clearly on the edge: "Sakura Menou". 

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	2. Two

The Most Dangerous Target Chapter Two _The Most Dangerous Target Chapter Two_  


Menou's house wasn't difficult to find. It was nestled peacefully in a nice little neighborhood, one untouched by the city's violence and danger. Menou's father had quit his job as a scientists and now they were not rich, nor did they even live that comfortably. According to the files, he was still looking for work and things weren't going so well for them. 

Joker watched the house for a while through binoculars. He could see Menou through the window, fixing some tea in the kitchen. Her hair had grown to shoulder-length and her skin had darkened slightly. Her face was still beautiful and soft, yet her eyes seemed somehow tired. Her face didn't glow and radiate as it had the day he had met her, when he saved her life. She looked a little more like she did when she was under Genjuro's control, and that worried Joker. 

After a few minutes of observation, he across the street and to her door. He took a deep breath and knocked three times. He waited, shifting his weight from one foot to the other before the door opened and Menou peeped out. "Yes?" she asked politely. 

"Hey there! How've you been, Menou-chan?" 

She looked at him strangely. "Do I know you?" she asked softly, studying the plaid button-up shirt and faded baggy jeans. But then she noticed, hanging out of the bottom of his army green fisherman-style hat, a group of pale rasta braids. He was considerably tall for a Japanese, and then there was the accent. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "Joker-san!" 

"Ah! You remember me then!" he said happily. 

She looked up and then down the street. "Come on in." she said, opening the door wider. 

He followed her inside and took a look around the house. It was a neat, cozy little place. Nothing like the mansion he hung out in, but it was cute. He sat down on the couch and she sat across from him in a rocking chair. "So, what brings you here?" she asked, rocking slowly back and forth. 

"Can't a guy visit a cute girl?" 

She blushed and looked at the floor. "But... how did you know where I live?" 

Joker leaned back on the couch and made himself comfortable. "Let's just say that Kurei-han keeps up with the people who've worked for him. We know about your father's situation. He sent me to offer some aid." 

"Aid?" she asked, blinking. 

"You guys are having trouble with the bills, yes? We may be able to remedy that." 

Menou stood up quickly. "Oh no! Please don't worry about us, Joker-san! We appreciate Kurei-san's concern, but we don't want to trouble him, or you." 

"Aww, you're just as sweet as I remember you." he said, putting his arms behind his head. Menou sat back down, looking flustered. Joker scanned the room. "Do you clean this place all by yourself?" 

"Hai. My mother died years ago and my father goes out everyday and puts in applications for jobs at various places. He's trying hard to find a job." 

"Is that where your father is now?" 

"Yes. He should be home any minute though. I made some tea for him, would you like some?" she asked, standing up again. 

"That'd be great. Thanks." 

Menou smiled and walked out of the room. He watched her until she disappeared behind a door. She was even cuter than she had been in the tournament. Two years' time had brought many... developments to her as she was now eighteen. She was wearing a yellow sundress with a blue flower print, which complemented her hair. Her toenails had lavender polish and her fingernails were long but bare. She was more than cute now. She was beautiful. 

She walked back into the room with two cups and a pitcher of tea. She reached over and poured him a cup. In the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but try to steal a glance down the collar of her dress, but quickly looked away when her eyes drifted to his face. "You sure look different out of that costume." she said, filling her own cup and returning to her place in the rocking chair. 

"Is it a good difference or a bad difference?" he asked, taking a sip. 

"Oh, it's a very good difference." she said, then blushed and covered her mouth. "Oh, I mean.... you look much more normal this way. Much more human." 

He couldn't stop himself from grinning. "You look better now too. That's not to say you weren't already adorable." he said. 

She nearly choked on her tea and sat the cup down quickly, whiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Joker-san, please don't flatter me like that." 

"Why not? It's true. Every guy at the tournament was just dying to get near you. If your father wasn't there, it's untelling what would've happened." 

She turned even redder and tried to find a way to change the subject. "So, have you heard anything from Recca-san and the others?" 

Joker looked off casually. "As far as I know, they're all doing fine. I think Recca-han and Yanagi-han are engaged now. At least, that's what I heard." 

"That's wonderful! And what about the rest of the Uruha?" 

"Kurei-han and Neon-han are getting closer everyday. Neither of them want to admit it, but I think they'll be getting engaged soon too." 

"Really? That's surprising. I didn't even know Kurei-san liked her." 

Joker laughed. "Don't let it bother you. I don't even think Neon-han knew he liked her until recently. Anyway, Raiha-han still likes Fuuko-han. I think they're going steady now." 

Menou smiled. "And you?" 

Joker looked surprised. "Me? What about me?" 

"Aren't you dating someone?" 

"No way. I don't exactly have a lot of choices. Unless I go for one of Neon-han's sisters, and I doubt she'd approve." he said, grinning. 

Menou just smiled. "I'm not dating anyone either." 

Joker looked at her, at her big blue eyes that were always so sincere and honest. "You're a very trusting person, aren't you?" 

"What do you mean?" 

Joker leaned forward. "You know what kind of person I am. You know who I work for, yet you just let me walk right into your home while you're here by yourself." 

"That's because, Joker-san, I know you're a nice person. You'd never hurt me or anyone else that didn't deserve it." she said sweetly. 

"Oh I wouldn't, now would I?" he asked, the glimmer in his eyes barely visble under the shade of his hat. 

Menou didn't even blink. "That's right. You wouldn't. I could see that in the tournament. You're a good man. You're kind." 

Joker laughed loudly and leaned back again. "You've got some nerve, girl. Most people would be intimidated by that look." he said, fangs showing, "But I think you have the wrong idea about me. I work for Kurei-han. I do kill people, and I do it for a living. You know that." 

Menou was about to respond when she heard a car pull up in the drive-way. "Oh, my father's home!" she said happily standing up. When her father opened the door and walked inside, he immediately spotted Joker and his eyes widned. "Father, this is Joker-san. He's the one who saved me at the tournament from Neon-san's attack, remember?" 

Her father sighed. "Oh yes, I remember. He looks very different now. I thought you were sneaking some boy in here." he said with a laugh. 

Joker stood up and greeted the man. He glanced to Menou as the man took off his coat and hung it on the coat-rack. "Menou-chan, you still think I'm a good person, right?" he asked, reaching into his pocket. 

Menou looked confused bot nodded. "Of course." 

Suddenly Joker pulled out a pistol and aimed it straight for the side of her father's head. He pulled the triggor and watched as the man tumbled to the floor, blood pouring out of his wound. Menou gasped and ran to his side. "Still think I'm a good person, Menou-chan?" 

She was bent over her father, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Father! Father!" she cried, arms wrapped around his neck. But when she realized he was already dead, she looked back up to face Joker. "Why?!" she screamed through her sobs, "Why would you do this?! He hasn't done anything to you people!" 

Joker scratched the back of his head with the gun. "Well you see, Menou-chan, you and your father both know just a little too much about Kurei-han's organization. You two are considered threats." 

Menou's eyes went wide. "Both of us...... what are you going to do to me?" 

Joker pointed the gun at her. "Sorry, babe, but you're just out of luck. If it's any consolation, I didn't ask for this assignment, and I wasn't lying when I said you're adorable." 

Menou closed her eyes, more tears leaking from them, and readied herself for the shot. 

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	3. Three

The Most Dangerous Target Chapter Three _The Most Dangerous Target Chapter Three_  


Joker held the gun steady in his hand. He wanted to close his eyes. He didn't want to see her expression when she heard the shot, or when the bullet pierced her flesh. But he had to look straight ahead. He had to watch his target. 

Just as his finger began to apply pressure to the triggor, a loud knock came at the door. "Menou-chan!" a female voice called through the door. "Hurry and open the door, I brought the groceries!" 

"Who the hell....?!" Joker muttered, looking to Menou. 

Menou looked fearfully to the door then to him. "That's Maru-san. My father always gives her the money to get groceries for us." she said quickly. 

Joker thought for a second, trying to ignore Maru's screams for Menou to open the door. "Ok... open the door, grab the groceries, and get rid of her. Remember, I got the gun and if you say a word to her about this, I'll put a bullet in her head too, got that?" 

Menou nodded and dried her eyes. Joker stepped out of view from the door and kicked her father's body out of view as well. She opened the door slightly and took the groceries. "Thank you, Maru-san." she said quickly, starting to close the door back. 

Maru stopped her and held it open. "Don't you want any help putting them away?" 

"No, I can do it. Thank you." Menou said nervously. 

Maru eyed her strangely. "Well ok. If you need anything, I'll be right next door, ok?" 

Menou nodded and shut the door. She ran over and sat the two sacks on the table. Joker stepped out from behind the corner. "Next door?!" he yelled. 

Menou nodded and pointed to the window. "She's my neighbor." 

"But the files said your only neighbor worked till five everyday!" 

"She.... she took off early today to get our groceries." she stuttered. 

Joker began to pace around the room. "Ok, if I kill you now, she'll hear the shot and run over. I'll have to shoot her too." Joker glanced out the window Menou had pointed to and saw Maru leading five small children into the house. "Shit! She's got a bunch of kids! I can't kill them too!" He paused in the middle of the living room floor. "Well.... I can kill them, but I'd really like to avoid that." 

He suddenly looked to Menou's father. "I know! We'll make it look like a suicide!" he said with a grin. "Everyone knows he's been out of work and really desperate lately. Upon realizing that he had failed to care for his only child, he killed himself to end the misery!" Joker ran over and fixed the body, placing the gun in her father's right hand and laying it in the perfect spot. 

Menou slumped to the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. "What about me?" she asked softly. 

"Hmmmm....." said Joker, scratching his chin, "A double suicide would look too suspicious. How about.... you walked in and saw your father dead. The site frightened you so much that you ran away!" 

Menou looked up slightly. "Ran away?" 

"Right! And with the way I take care of bodies, no one will ever know any different!" He laughed breezily, happy that his plans were now set. He reached out his hand to her. "Come on, I'll kill you somewhere else. I don't want any possible evidence that you died here." 

Menou turned her face away from him and he grabbed her arm, roughly dragging her out the back door and the long-way around to his car across the street. He shoved her in and jogged over to the drivers seat. 

As they drove down the road, Menou stared at him with ice-blue eyes. After a while, he looked right at her. "Why are you staring at me like that?!" 

"Because you killed my father!" she screamed, slapping and hitting at him with all her might, doing anything she could think of that might cause the slightest bit of pain. 

Joker grabbed both her arms and held them tightly. "Hey, it's my job! You've killed people too! You think those men you killed while training didn't have families? That no one ever missed them?!" 

Menou went pale. "How could you even bring that up?! You know it was against my will! You chose this kind of job!" 

"So, you're trying to make me feel guilty? Don't tell me you still believe that bullshit about me being a good person! I kill people everyday! Most of the time they deserve it, but sometimes they don't! Sometimes they just know too much, or they're related to the wrong people, but either way, they have to die!" 

Menou stopped struggling and slouched over against the window. "I don't care. Do whatever you like. My father was all I had left and you murdered him." 

Joker returned his attention to the barren road, only stealing quick glances at Menou. He sighed. He knew this was going to be a tough assignment. He should've asked Kurei to just hold this one over till Neon or Raiha got back. Then he would just have to hear about it on the news. He wouldn't have had to see how beautiful she had become, to see her heart shatter when the one person she cared for the most died before her eyes. "Look... I didn't ask for this assignment. Believe it or not, but I protested. I was really shocked that Kurei-han would want you dead. I was upset that I was the only one free to do it." 

Menou remained silent, staring out the window and watching the various things they passed. Joker became increasingly uncomfortable. He glanced into the backseat, where he knew several weapons were waiting. He could reach back, grab one, and kill her instantly without even swirving. But despite this, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He would at least give her fair warning, so that she could make her final prayers. So he sat beside her, driving silently as she glared at the window. 

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